Bidders question handling of border-wall project

The federal government has said it will narrow this week the list of companies in the running to build prototypes of a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

But some bidders expressed skepticism about the process, if the government’s goal — as President Trump promised — is to build a wall along the 1,900-mile border.

“From the beginning it’s not a serious process, it’s not going to get the wall built,” Michael Hari said of the process. His Illinois-based company, Crisis Resolution Security Services, submitted a design inspired by the Great Wall of China.

“Right from the get-go there were conflicts, there was not enough time given to it, to develop a reasonable process that would result in a wall getting built,” he said.

The bumps along the way have been documented.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection extended the initial deadline to submit designs three times. It also amended seven times the two requests for proposals in order to fix errors and elaborate on aspects of the project.